I have a dilemma going on that I posted in response to another thread, but hopefully starting a new one will shed some more light.

I am at the end of my application cycle and have heard from all but 2 of my favorite schools (Fordham and BU are pending).

I haven't yet gotten a response from Fordham, however I have gotten acceptances from other schools including Boston College, Brooklyn and St. John's.

BC hasn't offered a scholarship yet, and I don't think they are going to.

Brooklyn offered me a similar scholarship package totaling 22,000 I think, contingent on placing in top 40%. That's 60% of the total tuition.

St. John's offered me a free ride, contingent on placing in the top 50%.

I'm not that well-off, and I am worried about the debt, and while the job prospects out of BC are fantastic, I don't know if that debt would be worth it. I want to work in NYC, and don't care much about working for huge money at BigLaw. Brooklyn, from what I've read, has a very strong local rep. Maybe not enough to guarantee a job in Biglaw unless I place in the top 5-10% but as I said, it doesn't bother me. I might do Public Interest, which is very strong at Brooklyn. St. John's has a fantastic alumni network and a 91% bar pass rate.

At this juncture I'm leaning toward Brooklyn until I hear from Fordham. I want to stay in the city, I want to have a good job coming out, if not fantastic, and I want to keep the debt as low as possible so that I don't have to waste the rest of my youth paying off debts and being a gun for a partner in BLaw.

I have a dilemma going on that I posted in response to another thread, but hopefully starting a new one will shed some more light.

I am at the end of my application cycle and have heard from all but 2 of my favorite schools (Fordham and BU are pending).

I haven't yet gotten a response from Fordham, however I have gotten acceptances from other schools including Boston College, Brooklyn and St. John's.

BC hasn't offered a scholarship yet, and I don't think they are going to.

Brooklyn offered me a similar scholarship package totaling 22,000 I think, contingent on placing in top 40%. That's 60% of the total tuition.

St. John's offered me a free ride, contingent on placing in the top 50%.

I'm not that well-off, and I am worried about the debt, and while the job prospects out of BC are fantastic, I don't know if that debt would be worth it. I want to work in NYC, and don't care much about working for huge money at BigLaw. Brooklyn, from what I've read, has a very strong local rep. Maybe not enough to guarantee a job in Biglaw unless I place in the top 5-10% but as I said, it doesn't bother me. I might do Public Interest, which is very strong at Brooklyn. St. John's has a fantastic alumni network and a 91% bar pass rate.

At this juncture I'm leaning toward Brooklyn until I hear from Fordham. I want to stay in the city, I want to have a good job coming out, if not fantastic, and I want to keep the debt as low as possible so that I don't have to waste the rest of my youth paying off debts and being a gun for a partner in BLaw.

Anyone who can provide advice, it'd be most appreciated.

It sounds like you have your answer: you want to work in NYC, Brooklyn is respected in the city and you'd graduate with relatively small amount of debt. But you want to wait for Fordham and BU. The only thing that would make me pause is the 40% requirement at Brooklyn. And actually, even if the scholarship wasn't contingent, I think you still might have to worry about grades and stuff a bit more there, to be competitive even for PI jobs. And you'll still be $40,000 in debt when you leave. Does BC have any loan repayment assistance for students who go into public interest work?

Edited to answer my own question: yes, BC has an LRAP program. Not a fantastic one, but "the goal of the program has been to fund up to 60% of a qualifying candidate's annual educational debt repayment." In other words, you aren't guaranteed assistance, or any specific amount, but if you do well, and you go into public interest work, you could be reimbursed for 60% of your debt (at Brooklyn, you're getting a 60% scholarship, right?) Now, it's true, the LRAP support at that level wouldn't be a sure thing at BC, but staying in the top 40% at Brooklyn is also not a sure thing.

So... I'm modifying my original advice. BC may have some advantages over Brooklyn, and the financial difference is not so clear-cut.

It sounds like you have your answer: you want to work in NYC, Brooklyn is respected in the city and you'd graduate with relatively small amount of debt. But you want to wait for Fordham and BU. The only thing that would make me pause is the 40% requirement at Brooklyn.

While it does sort of give pause to think I might lose my entire scholarship if I slip first year, I'm going to do my damndest to get myself in the top 15%, much less outside the top 40. I'm not particularly worried about that aspect, I actually hope they pony up more money if I do very well my first year.

As far as Fordham goes, while I am waiting for their response I have a feeling it won't be a positive one. Even if I do get accepted, it's a balancing act again with the debt and the benefit. I used Boston College in my example as a T25 school that I can go to if I so wanted and compare it to a school like Brooklyn that has given me a 60% discount.

Interesting. That does sound good. However like you said, LRAP isn't guaranteed, it might just be handed to a select few. Also, it sort of ties my hands in case I decide to change to something outside of PI (I know it sounds like a flip flop, but until I'm a 2L I don't think I'll be able to clearly see what I want to do).

It's a tough situation, for sure. I have never gone to a 'major' school (I went to a NY state school for undergrad and public high school) so the prospect to going to a school like BC or Fordham thrills me. However, again, the money...